Boss Controls Participates in Global City Teams Challenge

Article Published: May 19, 2015

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The City of Pittsburgh, BOSS Controls, Carnegie Mellon University and other private entities have joined forces to showcase that it is possible to optimize the human experience with autonomous energy efficiency and demand response load shedding. What was once a concept is now reality and together they are participating in the Global City Teams Challenge (GCTC) to prove it.

“The City of Pittsburgh is a laboratory for new technology that is transforming neighborhood development.,” stated Mayor William Peduto. “We look forward to this challenge that brings together many organizations with a goal to generate and validate energy savings in and around our Pittsburgh buildings.”

The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and US Ignite launched the GCTC in the fall of 2014 and since then, this challenge has captured the attention of public-private partnerships that together have adopted and accelerated Internet of Things (IoT) deployments within smart city/smart community environments. With the City of Pittsburgh, BOSS Controls has officially entered the GCTC.

At no cost to the City, BOSS Controls will install smart plugs on various devices in City of Pittsburgh buildings, Carnegie Mellon University, the US Steel Tower, Black Box Corporation’s Headquarters and ABM Building Solutions LLC. Devices are being installed on, but not limited to window air conditioning units, vending machines, and water coolers. When not in use, the devices will turn off, and result in energy and cost savings. BOSS Controls also indicates that along with energy savings, devices can be controlled and turned off or on at once in a disaster recovery event, although not the focus of this collaboration.

“We are very excited to showcase the ability to save energy and prove a reduction in energy costs for any building,” said Greg Puschnigg, CEO BOSS Controls. “This IoT project will demonstrate demand response load shedding down to the device level across multiple buildings.”

The Challenge is open to any organization or individual willing to work with a collaborative team on IoT projects on a voluntary basis. The City of Pittsburgh with BOSS Controls and Carnegie Mellon University will present their work at the Global City Teams Festival, June 1 in Washington D.C

“The City of Pittsburgh is proud to join BOSS Controls for the global challenge,” said Grant Ervin, Sustainability Manager, Office of Mayor William Peduto. “BOSS Controls will deploy technologies that showcase how Pittsburgh is a hub for smart city and IoT applications. We look forward to reporting the energy savings.”

According to the DOE, $60 billion in energy costs can be saved in the US alone with the implementation of energy efficiency devices. “We are showing how this can be done,” Puschnigg added.

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